Re: [Epic] Epic 40K Facts

From: Richard Dewsbery <dewsbery_at_...>
Date: Fri, 28 Mar 1997 10:40:38 +0000

Farley, James wrote:
>> >Assault speed. The firepower is half, but there are ways around that with
>> >some weapons.
>
>>Like what?
>
>Special weapons that don't have firepower values, death ray, anti-tank,
>disrupt, etc. I have not found any place in the rules that reduces there
>effectivness for Assault orders.

Got you :-)

Can't remember the page no, but it's there - units on assault orders can
only fire special weapons if they are able to "lock on" to the target -
roll a d6, on a 4,5,6 you can shoot normally, on a 1,2,3 you can't shoot
at all. So effectively, firepower on assault orders _is_ reduced by 50%
(on average).
>
>> >
>> >>On the second, can units fire if they are broken and forced back?
>> >>don't _think_ they can. if they are retreating as a normal move, why
>> >>shouldn't they shoot?
>> >
>> >I was talking about just falling back as the other guy advances to try to
>>get
>> >into range. With a tempest (they have some new name for it now) you can
>>move
>> >back, pop up, destroy, etc. etc. etc. until the enemy is just shot to
>>shit.
>
>>Yes, and that it called battlefield tactics. If the other guy is going
>>to keep coming at me, I'll keep shooting at him.
>>"Hey sarge, why are those guys running straight towards our machine
>>guns?"
>>"Coz their general's not very bright son. Now keep shooting."
>
>Yes, but we used good tactics in the gulf war and I still would not want to
>play Iraq. I think it would not be that much fun.

Ah, but the iiraqis _chose_ to attack in the circumstances. See, it's
stupid general syndrome again. The way to avoid being shot up too bad
is either to move very quickly indeed, (march orders perhaps) and accept
a fair amount of casualties, or trap the firers from 2 sides at once (in
a pincer movement). But the best tactics are those which worked
historically - screening the enemies fire away from your important
troops onto something more expendable / better armoured.

As hits are allocated closest first, use this to your advantage - don't
lead an orky assault with loaded battlewaggons, buy them some extra time
by leading with 4-5 bikes, which aren't going to do too much in CC if
they did close to combat.
>
>> >
>> >>On the third, when would it be _more_ appropriate for a pop-up attack
>> >>than when the unit has overwatch orders?
>> >
>> >Maybe, but the old system FF just gave you the fist shot AND you could not
>> >move. Overwatch gives you much more firepower OR you can move but have
>>less
>> >firepower. (or move twice normal speed and have even less firepower)
>> >
>>Not sure I'm with you. You don't get more firepower on overwatch - you
>>just get a chance to reroll your misses.
>
>I was using firepower generically, sorry if I confused anyone.

Overwatch isn't always the best set of orders, even on the tactical
defensive. "No orders" allows you to move into an ideal firing
position, but still fire at full effect. If shooting at targets who you
are less likely to miss against (gretchin or boyz) or with guns that
have a high chance of a kill (anti tank) then sometimes overwatch isn't
worth the move restriction.

The bonus for overwatch varies according to what you are trying to hit -
if your going after armour, then it is a big help - on six dice, you may
only score 1 hit, so you'd get to reroll 5 and maybe score some more
(almost a 100% bonus). Against lightly armoured foes, on 6 dice you
would expect to kill 3 anyway, giving you only 3 dice to reroll (only
50% bonus).

Yes overwatch is fairly cool. Yes, assault is fairly cool. March can
be useful, and broken sucks :-)

But there are downsides as well as upsides to each order, and they all
appear well balanced.

Richard
Received on Fri Mar 28 1997 - 10:40:38 UTC